A Crazy Dream

Friday night I had a dream that I went to the store to buy fresh parsley for someone.  I got this stuff with leaves as big as elephant ears, but when I went to check out, I discovered that it was way expensive, so I didn't buy it.  Then I got some normal parsley and chopped it up and put it into a bag.  When I went to pay for it, there was a bunch of purpley-red stuff in the bag too, which looked like chopped red leaves.  I had no idea how that had gotten there.  I separated red from green and proceded to the checkout counter. Then I discovered that I had picked up one black child-size shoe and had brought it to the cash register with me.  So I had to put that away before I could buy any parsley.  All the while, my family was waiting for me, and I was going to be late to go somewhere.
Jeff thought this was a funny dream, but I wasn't laughing.  This dream was an expression of my anxieties which are caused by life being unpredictable, messy, and out of my control.  In the dream, it was all on me to make things work, and, in spite of my best efforts, things went haywire.  Honestly, it feels like my waking hours are like that too.  Why don't I rest in the Lord and trust Him to lead me through life's messiness?  I think that I have to make every little thing go well or else I'm a bad person and I'm going to make everybody mad.  Pretty irrational. 
The truth is that as a Christian, I have been given the gift of righteousness, and nothing I do will make me a good or bad person.  Also, God allows bumps in the road of life to give each of us opportunities to trust Him to bring us through it all.  This walk of faith is what pleases Him and brings praise, glory, and honor when we get to heaven.
Jesus showed me that when I feel under pressure to do everything quickly and perfectly, He is right at my side helping me.  And He's not angry, impatient, or demanding.  He's patient and totally happy to be with me.  How encouraging.

Liberty

"So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty." (James 2:12)
Do the words judged, law, and liberty really belong in the same sentence?  I think of law as being rules that are TOO HARD for me to obey, and I'm sick of trying and failing.  It's discouraging to even think about it.
I think that the law of liberty refers to the commandment that Jesus gave in John 15:12:  "Love one another, just as I have loved you."  ( I think this commandment sums up all of them.)  Again, I have tried to do this and have failed, at least some of the time, and this is discouraging.  Is God determined to frustrate me and make me feel bad about myself?
First, God loves His children as we are, and He doesn't expect us to live perfect lives.  Phew, that's a relief.
Second, Christ lives in His people (Galatians 2:20).  We have the power to love!  Finally, good news.
So, when people ignore me, disrespect me or devalue me, I am able to forgive and love unconditionally because love is a fruit of God's Spirit within me.
When I am tempted to ignore, disrespect or devalue others, I can choose to love.
I can even stop complaining, because of the cheerful, thankful Spirit that God has put in me!
Praise the Lord, what a gift!